The Princesses of Power Series - Episode 2:Peace Meets Archaeology
by ThePrincessOfPower
Summary: Notre Dame catches on fire and Wonder Woman discovers a piece of archaeological marvel previously unknown and possibly dangerous. To decipher, she will need the help of expert Lara Croft. Together they travel the world deciphering the clues to understand the object.
1. Chapter 1

**The Princesses of Power Series**

Episode 2 - "Peace meets archaeology"

Chapter I

A violet-orange hue colored the skies as Paris woke up to another crisp April morning. Diana walked up the _Jardin des Tuileries_ as she made her way to the Louvre Museum. Paris seemed content and ordinary, with no signs that it would need Wonder Woman's attention that day. How wrong that impression was…

As the day went by, Diana kept feeling an odd sense of worry, though she could not place what or where it was. At lunchtime she went to the museum's rooftop and observed the beautiful city. Blue and golden, the glamorous rooftops of Paris stretched as far as the eye could see, the most beautiful of them being the breathtaking Notre Dame Cathedral's towers that had stood in the heart of the city since its completion in the 14th century.

Though far from her view, Diana could see in her mind the details of the gothic cathedral. A delicate dance of colors filled the windows that dyed the grey stones with rainbow light. The arch buttress supporting the high ceilings, the intricate stone work picturing both the divine apostles and the gruesome gargoyles while the majestic spiral crowned the building's charm. It was a sight to behold.

Diana went on with her duties as Director of the Greek Collection, hoping that the odd feeling would go away as the hours passed. It didn't. She left the Louvre at the end of the work day and decided to take a long stroll around the Seine, stopping to have some wine and cheese by its margins. As she enjoyed the scent of cabernet sauvignon, she overheard a Parisian yelling at a video coming from his cellphone.

"_Mon Dieu! La cathédrale!_"

As she turned towards Notre Dame, she saw a yellow-red light piercing the sky. Fire. Within seconds, Diana transformed herself and Wonder Woman was flying into the evening's crimson sight.

As she arrived at the cathedral, she stared for a second into the horror that had already struck the beautiful rooftop. Even though she had not been born in Paris, she felt a blow in her heart same as all Parisians in face of that irreplaceable loss.

Coming out of the daze, she flew into the building to search for anyone trapped inside. The fire itself was up on the roof, but the smoke had invaded the whole building. She could barely see the glass windows and there was no artificial light working. She focused herself and listened. A child's cry caught her attention. There were people trapped behind the altar, barred from the exit by a huge stone block that seemed to be part of the supportive arcs. She flew to them and grabbed the father and daughter, taking them outside in the blink of an eye. She returned inside and found an elderly lady who had fainted from the smoke. She went back and forth ferrying civilians for a few minutes until the building was cleared. By then, the fire fighters had arrived and were spraying the building with huge water hoses trying to contain the fire and not destroy the cathedral at the same time. They were trying their very best to save and preserve the city's most iconic and beloved work of art.

There was little that Diana could do on her own at that point. She got one of the hoses and flew up to be able to help stop the fire from another angle, but that was all she could do. The fire was vicious and did not flinch. The structure was getting hotter and weaker, which eventually caused the highest spiral to collapse! People who were looking at the action from a safe distance gasped and screamed. Many started crying at the sight and the possibility of the fire not being controlled and destroying the whole building. The vigil went on for hours.

When the fire was finally controlled, Wonder Woman and the firefighters entered the building to help ensure the rest of the structure was still intact. The damage was heartbreaking to behold. Wonder Woman helped the firefighters anyway she could, which made their work quicker. After the chief gave the ok for them to leave, she looked around with sadness but was already planning on a recovery project once she got back to the Louvre.

As she was leaving the building, she heard drums. Not ordinary drums sounds, but a clear sound as if they were made of crystals. She looked around but no one seemed to have heard it. She walked towards the noise and saw a blue light. Kneeling at the floor, she realized it was underground, but a broken stone on the floor allowed the light to escape. Moving the stone aside, the drums got louder and she discovered a box that seemed to be emanating the crystal blue light.

As she carried the box outside, the light coming from under the lid invaded the whole building, turning its gray stone walls cyan. No one around her seemed to see that light. Wonder Woman knew then that this was not humankind's artifact. She flew home carrying the stone box.

* * *

At the quiet halls of her house outside the city, Diana admired the box. The drums had stopped, but the blue light was still emanating softly. She looked at the inscription:

"To all future peoples of the world, forgive us. We have not the knowledge to use this and therefore cannot announce this discovery. This box contains something beyond our comprehension and shall be kept safely hidden under the greatest cathedral of our time. However, if you find this in the future, know that it is filled with power and should not be trusted to an unworthy soul. As you look for the blessed one who can control this power, we wish you good luck on this dangerous path."

"What could possibly be so dangerous that would need to be buried in a cathedral?" - she mumbled to herself.

Raising her hand to lift the lid, a sharper blue-light wave shone through and a new inscription appeared:

"Beware! To ensure no one can open this box without the proper knowledge, we have created three challenges that will test you before giving you the key. Fail and this box will lock itself forever!"

Diana laughed at the urgency of the message, then realized that whoever closed this box was either worthy or afraid. As another message appeared on the right side of the box, the blue light was brighter again.

"High and low we go

across the colorful sea.

See us in the woe

where the first piece shall be."

Riddles. It wasn't her forte. She knew that this task demanded more than one head to decipher all the clues, so she wondered who could help her… She remembered meeting someone during a seminar at the Louvre once, an intelligent and intriguing woman who presented it… What was her name?

"Lady Croft!"

* * *

_To be continued._


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter II

Outside of London, the Croft Manor's gardens had turned into a practice rink for Lara's archery routines. The target was worn off in the center as too many arrows had pierced it. The bow was high-tech, but beginning to show signs of wear and tear for being used too often.

"Lara, we've been at this for days! Can't we go back to guns?"

She raised her eyebrow and yelled "Draw!"

A disc was thrown into the sky and she released the arrow aiming at it. She missed. Grabbing her father's rifle, she yelled "Draw" again and took the shot. Bullseye.

"Until I can do the same with an arrow, we keep practicing."

Bruce sighed and kept working on the targets and arrows.

Dusk finally came and they went back to the house. Hillary awaited them at the door.

"Lady Croft, there is a Diana Prince here to see you. She says it's urgent."

Lara paused. She had met Diana Prince briefly after her seminar on Rare Archaeological Artifacts at the Louvre, but what would the museum's director want with her now, showing up unannounced at her home?

Entering the large Victorian style living room, she placed the bow on the mantle and looked at the mirror on the wall. She was sweaty from the training and her hair had seen better days… She threw on the brown leather jacket that was hanging on the chair, fixed up her hair in a braid and went into the study.

"Send her in."

As Diana walked across the room in an elegant carmine dress, high heels and an elaborate hair up-do. Lara immediately regretted not taking the time to change. She was an adventurer, but she was still British and poise was essential. She felt like Indiana Jones staring at a Greek goddess.

"Lady Croft, it's a pleasure to see you again."

"The pleasure is all mine, Director Prince."

"I apologize for showing up without warning, but I have an urgent matter to discuss."

Lara gesticulated to the chair and Diana took a seat.

"I remember from your seminar last year that you are the expert on rare artifacts" – Lara nodded with curious eyes. – "I need your help with this one."

Diana pulled the box from her large leather bag and placed on the desk. The cyan light started escaping from the cracks of the stone box, coloring the room. Lara's eyes widened and shone at the sight of the mysterious glow.

"This is unlike anything I've ever seen! Artifacts are not normally… alive." – As she raised her hand to touch it, the inscriptions began to appear again. She read them carefully and stopped at the poem.

"High and low we go

across the colorful sea.

See us in the woe

where the first piece shall be."

"Fascinating!"

"I thought so too, but it raised many questions. Who originally found this item? Why did they bury it? How did they know its power could not be controlled? Who is worthy and powerful enough to control it?" – Diana replied speaking fast, mostly thinking out loud instead of asking Lara.

"I see this has been troubling you. Where did you find it?"

"Under the ground at Notre Dame. The floor was damaged after the spiral crashed down."

"A tragedy to history, but a valuable moment for archaeology."

They smiled at each other.

"Can you decipher the riddle?"

"Not alone. Come with me."

They left the study and passed a long hallway stopping in front of large double doors. Lara pushed the doors open and Diana marveled at the sight of the Crofts' massive library. Bookcases filled the walls top to bottom. Mint new books were at the bottom while old first editions and rare items filled the higher shelves. Lara stepped on a ladder and grabbed an old book about history, one about art and a brand new atlas and placed them on the table.

"The trick with riddles is finding the common element between all the clues but you need to get each piece right first. Let's see… It says the first piece will be where there is woe, sorrow. That does not narrow things down, as History is filled with places of sorrow: from the destruction of Troy to the bombs of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, so not enough for us to identify the location, but we can funnel the dates: if Notre Dame was built between the 12th and 14th centuries, we can eliminate anything in the American continent, as it wouldn't have been discovered by Europeans until the 15th century.

She flipped the history book's pages, stopping after the 15th century. Diana admired her mind working. Lara went on:

"The 'colorful sea' can be literal or figurative. If it's literal, there are fours seas with color in their name: the Black Sea in Western Europe, the Red Sea by the Sahara, the Yellow Sea by China and the White Sea northwest of Russia. If it's figurative, it could be a painting, flower farms, rainbows, and so on."

Lara opened the atlas on the Black Sea and flipped the pages of the art book. Diana glanced at the moving pages and stopped Lara's hand when the book showed Cezanne's _Road Near Mont Sainte-Victoire_. She looked intently at the landscape of colorful mountains mumbling the riddle to herself "High and low we go… across the colorful sea…"

[Art:  /cezanne_1900_  ]

Diana grabbed the atlas and opened it on the page showing the Yellow Sea. She placed it beside the painting. With her finger, she traced a straight line from the Yellow Sea into mainland China, stopping at Gansu.

"Aren't there Rainbow Mountains in Gansu? Couldn't those be the 'colorful sea'?"

"'High and low we go.' Yes! Mountains go up and down. That fits the riddle!" - Lara felt that familiar rush when she solved an archaeological mystery.

"How about 'See us in the woe'?"

"We'll worry about that part once we are there. It usually works best when we are on site."

Lara stormed out to the study - "Hillary! Prepare the jet. We are going to China."

"Mmm, may I suggest a bath first, _Lady_ Croft?" - he dared with a raised eyebrow.

Lara sighed and looked at Diana.

"We have time. I'll help you pack. Do you mind lending me some boots?"

* * *

_To be continued..._


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter III

After entering the chinese airspace with certain difficulty making use of Diana's diplomatic privileges, Lara piloted the jet over the Gansu area. They could see the Zhangye National Geopark from above, its vast Rainbow Mountains shining as the sun was rising in the horizon.

[Rainbow Mountains:  entry/rainbow-mountains-china-danxia-landform_n_3683840 ]

"They are extraordinarily beautiful!" - whispered Diana with gleeful eyes. Her mother and the Amazons would truly love that sight.

"There is a flat area over there. I'll land us."

As Lara turned the jet and prepared to land, the colors shimmered on the mountains, making them look alive.

Once on land, they grabbed their gear and started heading to the enchanting view. Lara offered to carry the stone box for a while, as she knew it was heavy, but Diana declined, causing Lara to glance a suspicious look at her new partner. "How can a museum director hardly sweat while carrying such a heavy thing?" - she thought.

In Lara's brown hiking boots that she borrowed, Diana felt indeed like an archaeologist. The used leather felt smooth against her shin, being sturdy at the same time and assuring every step was steady. Working at the museum, Diana forgot that feeling of exploring the unknown. She thought of her days in Themyscira, so long ago… Lara looked very comfortable in her coffee colored jacket and black pants. Her long hair was tightly braided and away from her face and her eyes scrutinized the landscape looking for a path.

When they reached the middle of the mountains, they dropped their gear and looked around. It was indeed a majestic place. They could have stayed there for hours just admiring its beauty, but suddenly the box started sounding like drums again.

"What's that?!"

"You can hear it too? It comes from the box."

Lara leaned over to examine the box. It's cyan blue was glowing strongly. The side of the box showed the poem once more and highlighting the part where it read "See us in the woe where the first piece shall be."

"Diana, look! We must be getting close."

"But what could the 'woe' possibly be in such a beautiful place?"

"Could be an accident that happened, or an unexpected death, maybe?"

"Or a story, a myth. We should find some locals, they might know."

"There: smoke."

They went to the direction of what seemed to be a human-built fire, a few kilometers away. Approaching the fire, they saw a tent and two elderly men preparing food. They were startled as they caught sight of the two women, as if they hadn't seem people in a long time.

As they got close, Diana and Lara smiled and bowed. Diana stepped forward and spoke to them in mandarin:

"_Nǐ hǎo_, my name is Diana and this is my friend Lara. We are tourists and want to learn more about the mountains. What can you tell us?"

Lara and the men were amazed on how fluent Diana was speaking to them.

"Yes, we can tell you about the Rainbow Mountains. Come, sit, have some food".

Diana signaled to Lara and they joined the two men and had some of their meal, just to establish trust, as they did not want to eat food that those people probably had difficulties getting in the middle of the mountains.

"So, where do you come from?"

"England" - replied Diana.

"Oh, long way! Do you like the mountains so far?"

"Yes, very much! They are mesmerizing. But I can't help but feel a bit of sorrow…" - Diana fished for a segway into the solving of the riddle.

"Ah, you are right. There is much sorrow here. Legend tells of a forbidden love between a soldier and a princess. They fled to these mountains and hoped to escape the emperor's fury, but it was not so. The emperor's soldiers had heard their plans and arrived in the mountains before them and hid themselves between the colorful striped peaks over there. When the princess and the soldier arrived, they went into a cave between the peaks and the hidden soldiers killed them by rolling a huge rock that trapped them inside the cave forever. They were together in love for only a few days before they died."

Diana translated the story to Lara who turned to look to the direction of the said cave.

"But don't go there! It is cursed! After the soldiers trapped them, they regretted it and tried to re-open the entrance, but it was impossible to move the big rock. In great woe, they killed themselves by the entrance and for the emperor's eternal shame."

"I am so sorry to hear that. It must have been very difficult to the people at the time. Do you know when this legend started?"

"Oh, long time ago. During the Yuan dynasty."

Turning to Lara, Diana spoke in English: "That was between 1271 and 1368 AD. It fits with the construction of Notre Dame".

They both felt the adrenaline rush in as they were closing into the mystery.

"Thank you kindly for your hospitality. We will continue our journey around the mountains."

"Yes, yes, go explore, they are beautiful! But stay away from the cursed cave. Although it's a legend, one never knows if legends are true or a figment of someone's imagination."

"You could not be more right, sir." - replied Diana, being a type of legend herself.

"Safe travels!"

Lara and Diana bowed. They started walking on the opposite direction. When they were far from the elders view, they turned back towards the colorful speaks the man had pointed to. The drums from the box intensified as they approached the cave.

They finally saw a huge rock covering the entrance of a small cave. It was indeed impossible for mere mortals to move. Diana of course had the strength to do it, but how would she do that without exposing her true self to Lara?

"Well, that is a dead end. We will need extra resources to be able to pull that rock out of there."

"Humm, I think that, with the appropriate leverage and angle we can manage."

Lara laughed. "Diana, with all due respect, I am sure many men through the centuries have tried to open that cave using dozens of horses, and, most recently, maybe even tanques. Why do you think the two of us can do it?"

"Don't be such a pessimist! You said it well: 'men tried'. We are not men."

Lara chuckled under her breath.

"I appreciate your enthusiasm, but this is physically impossible. We'll have to arrange contraction tractors and what-not and come back."

"We can't. You felt the urgency from the drums coming out of that box. We don't have much time. C'mon, humour me."

Lara sighed and agreed. They positioned themselves and started pushing. At first, nothing happened, but as Diana continued to push displaying an enormous effort, the rock started moving slightly. Lara was then convinced and actually helped. Diana played the part and showed how hard it was but made sure it happened. After several grunts, the rock was finally pushed enough for them to sneak inside the cave.

"We did it!"

"Yeah… we did…" - Lara was skeptical and suspicious, but knew there were more pressing matters at hand.

They entered the cave. It was small but deep. Lara warned Diana that they would probably find human remains there, if the legend was true and the lovers were indeed trapped. Lara went ahead with a flashlight trying to find evidence. She suddenly stopped at the sight of skeleton silhouette. She leaned down carefully. Diana followed.

"It's true! They are both here!"

"And she seemed to be a princess indeed, look at that gold necklace."

As Lara reached out to touch it, the drumming started again. She put the flashlight closer. The necklace had an odd shape with a cone-shaped pendulum too big for its string. As she carefully tried to remove it from the woman's body, the cave started to shake.

"Quickly! Grab the necklace and let's go!" - yelled Diana as she took the box and fled to the entrance.

Lara followed closely, but tripped on a rock and fell, staying behind as the huge rock rolled back blocking the exit as the ceiling started collapsing.

Diana turned around and saw the cave closed again and still rumbling inside. She had no choice. Her secret identity as Wonder Woman was not nearly as important and Lara's life. She ditched the act and grabbed the giant rock with her bare hands and lifted it, throwing it far to the side. With the speed of Hermes, she grabbed Lara and left the cave seconds before it completely collapsed.

Lara looked half-conscious but said to Diana: "You have some explaining to do", before blacking out, holding the necklace tightly in her hand.

* * *

_To be continued..._


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter IV

Lara woke up in a comfortable bed. She looked at the window and saw an array of skyscrapers. She tested her body to ensure she could move. All was well, but her head hurt as she tried to get up.

"Where do you think you are going?" - asked Diana walking into the room.

"Humm… Where are we?"

"Beijing. The doctor was here to see you. You have a minor concussion, but will be fine."

"What happened?"

"You don't remember? We were in the cave and it started collapsing. I pulled you out just in time."

"Oh. Well, thank you. I don't recall that. All I remember was getting the neck… The necklace! Where is it?"

"Hush, I have it, it's safe."

"I need to examine it. It seems to be part of something."

"Yes, it looks like it connects to something else. Probably the next piece of whatever is we are looking for to open the box. But for now, you need to rest. I will go get us some food. You stay here and try to sleep a bit more."

"How did we get to Beijing?"

"I, hum, flew us here."

"You can pilot a jet? What else do they teach you at the Louvre?!"

Diana laughed but didn't reply.

"Quiet now. I'll bring food soon."

Lara resigned to the need to rest and closed her eyes.

Diana thought to herself "I better go get that jet."

* * *

The sun was low and it made the glass buildings reflect its golden light. Lara woke up and looked at the city's skyline. She had been to Beijing before on archaeological sites, but never had the chance to admire its modern beauty.

She reached for the stone box over the table. It was quiet now, the cyan light barely shining. Her head didn't hurt anymore and she was anxious to examine the necklace.

Lara looked around and noticed the hotel seemed very high-end. The curtains were an elegant crimson, the bed sheets were pastel, lined with golden strings, giving it a delicate shimmer, soft to the touch like egyptian cotton. The furniture was dark and new, but inspired in vintage styles. The room was large and had two separate bedrooms, a living room and a window seat. She looked at the symbol discreetly embedded on the curtains and recognized the brand. It was indeed a very nice hotel.

"I brought dumplings!" - said Diana cheerfully walking into the room.

Lara turned and saw that Diana was wearing the necklace.

"Looks good on you."

"Well, I thought it was best to keep it close, for safekeeping. Now, let's eat and we can then talk about this mystery with our bellies full."

Lara looked curiously at Diana. How could she transition so well between museum director, cave explorer and graceful hostess? The woman was as much of a mystery as the box itself.

As they ate, Lara felt her strength coming back and her mind sharpening. She didn't like the feeling of being vulnerable, especially beside a stranger, but even though she only knew Diana for a couple of days, she felt a natural trust towards her.

"Now, shall we see what this necklace can do?" - Diana took it off and placed it on the table then got up to get the box and placed it beside the necklace.

Nothing happened. No drums, no light.

Lara took the necklace, looking for markings. "There does seem to have anything written on it, yet there is a texture alongside the pendant." She turned it round and round in her hands and finally laid it on the box's lid.

At the touch of the gold against the stone, blue inscriptions started appearing in place of the previous ones.

"Look!"

They both watched intently as the box's letters shifted into new words:

"Closer you are to unlocking this power. Do not treat this lightly. Meditate thoroughly before you continue."

And with that, all letters disappeared and the blue light ceased. The box now looked ordinary.

"That was disappointing…" - Lara sighed, leaning back on the chair.

Diana looked intrigued. Why would the box lead them here and then stop the quest? Unless…

"Meditate! We must first meditate on the subject of power."

"But how will the box know we are meditating? I don't think it's _that_ clever." - replied Lara a bit sceptical.

"Perhaps we have to take it somewhere, a place known for its meditative environment. Like a buddhist temple! There must be one in Beijing from the 14th century when the box was created." - theorized Diana.

They paused to consider what possibilities. Lara looked around and saw a tourist booklet on the nightstand. It recommended a variety of places to visit around the city.

"Look! The Guanghua Temple was built during the Yuan dynasty, same period of when the legend about the lovers came to life. That can't be a coincidence."

"I agree. Let's take the box there in the morning."

* * *

As the sun rose on the horizon, the two adventurers were gearing up for a tour of the Guanghua Temple. Hair up, cargo pants on and backpacks loaded, they marched onto the busy streets of Beijing.

When the women arrived at the temple's entrance gate, they marveled at the light-grey walls and the protecting lion-looking statues. Lara pointed to the one on the left:

"They are called foo dogs. The female - yin - guards the cub, which symbolizes nature and protects those who live in the house. The male - yang - guards the globe, symbol of the world and protects the house structure itself. They are common in all Chinese houses and temples."

[Entrance to the temple:  wiki/Guanghua_Temple_(Beijing)#  ]

Diana admired Lara's knowledge and took a closer look at the foo dogs. She had seen them at the Louvre, but never actually examined them or thought about their meaning. In all her decades living among mortals, she was still learning.

They entered the temple and headed to the main room, arriving at the face of three Buddhas statues. They bowed, placed apples on the offering table and sat on the floor. The golden Buddhas stared back at them with sublime but kind expressions.

[Buddha statues at the temple:  . /iHowBmYqXfV2MJfv8 ]

"What do we do now?" - asked Lara.

"Let's place the box on the floor. Perhaps it can feel where it is, just like it felt the gold from the necklace."

Diana put the box on the ground. Nothing happened. They looked at each other disappointedly. Had they misinterpreted the message?

"We can look at it again later. Since we are here, shall we actually meditate?" - proposed Diana.

Lara nodded and loosened her muscles. Both women got into lotus position, closed their eyes and started pacing their breath. A light breeze grazed their skin and the world outside seemed to fade away. Diana felt the energy of the temple flooding her being. It was a bright and powerful energy, yet kind and gentle. They stayed in this meditating state for a while, until a blue light pierced through their eyelids.

They both opened their eyes and saw the box emanating the light which dyed the previously gold and red room into cyan. They smiled at each other and anxiously gathered around the box. New letters began to appear:

"The path of power has been set in mindfulness and the seeker is ready."

They expected another riddle, but the box seemed to be waiting for something, as it started a pulsating glow. Diana took the necklace off and placed it on top of the box as before. Then, it continued:

"Where the battle was won

flowers climb the walls.

Go to where the circle runs,

amongst old Templar halls."

Their excitement was visible. The room, previously empty, began to welcome a large tourist group. Diana quickly put the box and the necklace inside her leather backpack and both of them left the temple. Walking back to the hotel, they tried to piece together the riddle.

"At least this one narrows things down. 'Templar halls'. It's most liked in Europe." - confirmed Lara.

"Indeed, but where? The templars were present in several regions, not just France as most people think."

"Then we must understand the whole poem. 'Where the battle was won'. Not vary narrowing, but if you combine it with 'flowers climb the walls', we might get somewhere."

"The most puzzling part is 'where the circle runs'. Circles don't run, they wouldn't go anywhere…"

"Perhaps it's 'run' as is 'manage'?"

"Manage what?"

"Ok, let's get back to how riddles work: one piece at a time."

"You're right, Lara, that's how we found the Rainbow Mountains. How about we go to a library and maybe inspiration will come. The National Library of China is not far from here."

Walking fast, they headed to the NLC, the largest library in Asia. Diana asked the librarian where the art section was. She pointed to a hallway and advised they would be closing soon.

"Let's hurry, we have about one hour before they close."

They hurried to the art section and stared at its vast collection.

"'Flowers climb the walls'. What art is known for its flowers?"

Diana immediately saw Notre Dame's rose window in her mind and turned excitedly to Lara: "Gothic!"

She grabbed a volume on gothic architecture from the shelf and flipped its pages. Most gothic cathedrals had a prominent rose window, but not exactly flowers climbing the walls. As the pages passed through, her eyes were caught by one style that had a clearer floral motif: _manueline_.

"I know where it is!" - Diana said a bit too loud and people around the library gave her a dirty look. It was just a couple of employees beginning to close down.

"Shhh!" - hushed Lara, half laughing - "Where should we go?"

"It's in -"

A loud bang turned their attention to the side door. Three men walked with an evil semblance.

"Very clever you two." - one of them said in English, but with a French accent. - "But the secret of the box has been protected for centuries and so it shall remain!"

The three men started circling in. Their leader drew a gun and the others copied, pointing at the women. Diana looked perplexed, but Lara was quick and drew her gun as well. The employees fled, one of them reaching for his phone as he ran away.

The man continued: "Come now, there are three of us and only one of you with a weapon. Give up this foolish quest and go back to your homes. No one has to get hurt."

"I couldn't agree more." - said Diana, moving towards them. "Why do you wish to stop us? We have done nothing wrong."

"When I heard about the fire in Notre Dame, I knew our secret might have been exposed. We all have vowed for generations to protect the box, by any means necessary."

"There is no need for a fight. We are simply archaeologists trying to understand the power of the box. We do not mean to use it for harm." - tried Lara.

They kept circling one another, like a slow dance of threats. Lara was looking incredulously at Diana: why was she exposing herself like that? No gun or knife to protect her, she could easily get killed!

"No human can control the power that is in that box. It must remain sealed!" - shouted the man.

"I assure you it will remain safe. What does the box contain?" - Diana replied with confidence.

"It is not our job to know. We just have to protect it. If you are not willing to give up this quest, then we must eliminate you."

He fired at Diana, who dove down to avoid the bullet, inhumanly quickly. They all stared at her for a second, then Lara fired at the men and they all took cover behind a huge dark metal table.

As the men fired at Lara and she ducked behind a marble column, Diana decided the best way to end this was to show those protectors that she was not exactly… human. She flew up above them and they all gazed up in awe. She shifted into Wonder Woman's clothes and stood hovering above them.

Lara expression went from shock to understanding, as it all made sense now, especially how Diana moved the huge rock off the cave's entrance. The men looked horrified at first, then their leader looked down and sighed, lowering his gun.

"You're Wonder Woman. - said him with a sigh - There is a prophecy that someone from another world would one day claim the box. I guess that day is now." - he kneeled and put his gun on the ground, his partners doing the same.

Lara looked suspiciously at them. She lowered her gun but kept it tightly in her hand.

"I did not mean to deceive you. I have found the box in Notre Dame and have been following it's clues. I understand that it contains immense power and, if we succeed in our quest, I promise you that this power will not fall into the wrong hands. I give you my word."

The man looked at her in contemplation and acceptance. "Very well. You both seem worthy and intelligent. We spotted you in the buddhist temple and were hoping you would not decipher the next clue, but it seems that you have. We will no longer interfere, but will keep a close eye on you."

"Fair warning. Thank you for your understanding. Are you able to tell us more about this? Who hid it? And why in Notre Dame?" - asked Diana, coming back to the ground.

"All good questions, but we must not reveal anything. If you succeed in your quest, you will understand it all."

Sirens started sounding outside the library. Someone had called the police.

"We have to go." - warned Lara.

"Farewell, my ladies."

They both looked at the men with curiosity. That was quite a change in treatment.

"Farewell" - they replied.

As they exited the library, Diana changed back to her other self, causing Lara to look at her with a raised eyebrow.

"Well, well, well, that explains a lot. So, where are we off to?"

"Portugal!"

"Ok, we can take the jet. Hey Diana, where _is_ my jet?"

* * *

_To be continued..._


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter V

As Diana and Lara made their way to the private airport outside of Beijing where Diana had landed Lara's jet, they talked about the poem's clue that Diana had deciphered.

"So how did you know Portugal was our next stop?" - asked Lara, intrigued.

"I remembered while I was attending a conference in Lisbon, that all delegates went on a tour of the city's iconic gothic monastery, the _Mosteiros dos Jeronimos_, where we learned about the special style the Portuguese had given to their gothic architecture, calling it _manueline_: naturalistic elements like shells, strings of seaweed, oak leaves and thistles, among many others. The columns do look like there are growing vines climbing them, usually with flowers on top, so it matches what the poem said about 'flowers climb the walls'".

"But that doesn't really narrow it down… There are other gothic styles that have flower themes."

"Indeed, but the poem's first line gives us the location: 'Where the battle was won'. While our tour guide in Lisbon was talking about the _manueline _architectural style, he mentioned many other locations that have it, including another monastery called '_Mosteiro da Batalha_' which literally means 'Monastery of the Battle', which king Joao I started building in 1386, a year after the Battle of Aljubarrota, as a commemoration of their victory and as a thank you to the Virgin Mary for her aid during the battle".

"Wow, a whole monastery erected to celebrate a battle victory? Fascinating. Have you been there?"

"No. I'm excited to go!" - smiled Diana, like a cheerful child. - "The closest city is called Leiria. We can land the jet there and drive to Batalha."

* * *

The flight from Beijing to Leiria was a long one, so Lara knew she would have lots of time to talk to Diana about her other identity. She set the jet to autopilot and went to the cabin to talk to the so called 'museum director'.

"So… tell me more about this other side of you." - asked Lara with a raised eyebrow.

Diana laughed and looked out the window. Not many people knew about her life as Wonder Woman. Kara Danvers had figured it out not too long ago, but since Kara herself was Supergirl and lived a double life as well, it was easier to explain. Lara on the other hand, was a world renowned archaeologist, entrepreneur and part of the British nobility, doing all this on her own, not hiding behind a mask. Diana was unsure how to start.

"Wonder Woman was my way of maintaining focus in my life. When I first left my birthplace, the island of Themyscira, humankind seemed to not understand that I was different and could do things they could not. So the best option at the time was to blend in, find myself a human life and only reveal my true self when something out of the ordinary happened, as people were more comfortable then to see something extraordinary."

Diana looked at Lara anxiously, wondering what would be her reaction. Lara paused, looked down and said:

"I understand."

Diana was surprised with that reaction and continued to look at her new friend, intrigued. Lara carried on:

"Sometimes I wish I had a secret identity. I play many roles - Lara the adventurous archaeologist, Lara Croft CEO of Croft Enterprises, Lady Croft to the British lords, Professor Croft to Oxford. - sometimes I wish I could keep all these personas separately. Well, I guess it's too late for me to become a superhero" - she sighed with a faint laugh.

"Not all heroes wear capes" - smiled Diana and the two exchanged an understanding look.

* * *

After landing the jet and doing the paperwork at the Portuguese border, the two women rented a car and headed on to their next adventure.

Leiria was an ordinary city, quite different from the overwhelming and majestic Beijing. They realized that wearing hiking boots and leather jackets would make them stand out in the touristy town. They went to the simple hotel's reception and asked for the nearest mall.

"There is the Leiria Shopping Center up on that road" - pointed the front desk clerk.

Diana bought a navy blue dress with large white stripes, a hat and comfortable sandals. Lara chose a baseball hat, a yellow t-shirt, jeans shorts and running shoes. They looked at each other and laughed.

"Well, we definitely will blend in now!"

The two tourists got back to their car and headed to the monastery. The drive was picturesque, as the country road kept winding its way between the little villages with its simple houses.

The scenery changed drastically when the road widened and they saw the monastery right beside it. It was indeed a sight to behold. Its size alone would put any modern building to shame. Built in the 14th century, it was as big as a plane hangar and as majestic as Notre Dame of Paris itself.

They parked near it and walked to its front doors. Both women were in awe. The building had a presence, a power and emanated an overwhelming sensation of greatness, making them feel quite small beside it, literally and figuratively.

[Monastery of Batalha:  wiki/Batalha_Monastery#/media/File:Mosteiro_da_Batalha_  ]

They walked in with their jaws still dropped. Even though both of them had seen amazing places and experienced greatness in many historical sights around the world, a gothic building of that magnitude would inspired even the most sceptical and seasoned scholar.

A shimmering colorful light caught their eyes and drew them to the chapel on the right side. They were on a mission, but it was hard to ignore the beautiful glass-colored stone columns that surrounded the royal tomb of king Joao I and queen Filipa. They stood beside the tomb and looked up, seeing the high glass windows dazzle their eyes with their heavenly glow.

They walked around like true tourists in a daze before such magnificence. Proceeding to the main nave, they admired the might of the huge columns. As they explored the building, Diana noticed some small carvings on the walls. They were strange, not aligning with the austerity of gothic architecture. She called Lara and examined the glyphs.

"Look at these markings. They don't seem to be part of the architecture… The seem… random."

"Markings are never random." - replied Lara taking a closer look. As she ran her fingers over them, her archaeologist mind began searching for answers. - "These are here for a reason. They indeed don't seem to be 'official', but look like something the architect or the builders might have added on in a sneaky way. Give me the necklace, I want to try something."

Diana handed Lara the golden necklace and took a step back to look at the whole wall. While Lara passed the necklace over some glyphs, they began hearing the familiar drumming sound from the box. They looked at each other excitedly. Lara continued to touch the necklace on the wall until Diana exclaimed:

"Look! The blue light!"

They both looked to the corner it was coming from and saw one particular glyph shining like the letters on the stone box. Lara examined it and noticed: "It's a keyhole." She inserted the necklace inside it and the cyan shimmer started tracing a small patch of the wall.

They looked around worried, but everyone seemed busy taking pictures and admiring the monastery. Seeing the image the cyan light formed, Lara immediately figured it out.

"It's a map! See the keyhole, that's where we are. This winding streak going East is our direction and this marks the spot. It's not a mere "x" marking the spot, it's the Portuguese symbol for the Templar Knights. It's a cross." - she concluded proudly.

Diana opened a huge smile and sighed: so this whole quest was built by the Templars. She should have known. They had always been a mysterious order, with many facades and objectives. Protecting a dangerous power seemed right up their alley. Diana finished the puzzle:

"The poem states 'old Templar halls'. 'Old' because the order was no longer called Templars in Portugal. In the early 14th century, it was converted into the Order of Christ. Our next stop is Tomar."

Lara looked at her GPS - "It's less than an hour from here."

They took one last look at the magnificent monastery and Diana thought to herself: "I will be coming back one day".

* * *

The town of Tomar was charming, with narrow streets decorated with Templar motifs. It had a joyful and rustic air to it, making Diana and Lara feel transported to the middle ages. Its people seemed cordial and happy, the shops were small and lovely, giving the town a movie set look.

They drove on towards the Convent of Christ, an ancient Templar stronghold. At first glance, it didn't seem so big, until they saw it sideways and discovered its huge wall that went on and on protecting the cloister. It was as massive as the Monastery of the Battle, also gothic, but had quite a different approach to it.

[Convent of Christ:  wiki/Convent_of_Christ_(Tomar)#/media/File:Convento_Cristo_December_  ]

They entered the main hall and walked down the nave. It was similar to the monastery, but something there had to draw their attention to "where the circle runs" to match the poem-clue the stone box had given them.

Diana approached one of the staff members and asked in perfect Portuguese:

"Hello, do you know if there is any place here that is a circle? Maybe the main rose window?"

"Yes, maybe the rose window, but I would say it's our most precious room where the _charola_ lives." - replied the young man.

Diana looked at Lara. They never heard of a 'charola' before. The man continued:

"Go through that door and look to your left, you can't miss it." - he pointed the way, smiling.

"_Obrigada_." - thanked Diana and they went on to the direction he indicated.

When the women crossed the small door that he had mentioned, they are amazed by the magnificent structure inside. They had never seen anything like it. It was the convent's church building but its altar was unlike any other. A tall golden cylindrical wall went up to the ceiling, waiving back down through the outer walls like a fountain. The richness of adornments was jaw-dropping. Frescos of saints and other catholic figures surrounded the walls.

[Charola:  wiki/Convent_of_Christ_(Tomar)#  ]

Lara exclaimed in a full ecstatic British accent: "Good Heavens! This is fantastic! Look at the details of the paintings, the uniqueness of the structure!"

Diana was also in awe, but when she heard the drums coming from the box inside her backpack, the mission came back to focus.

"Lara, we are in the right place, listen to the drums. Now we must find whatever the next clue might be."

They began circling the area, examining every fresco, every column. As they stepped inside the cylindrical wall, their eyes were drawn up to the exuberant images of saints embedded in gold stands. Right at the center, where the dome dripped into a golden funnel, its small gold tip started emanating the familiar cyan light, catching Lara's vision.

"Diana, here! Look up."

"This is it, we need to get that piece."

"Well, I don't think we will be allowed to climb up those walls nor take that as a souvenir." - replied Lara, ironically.

"We don't need to climb." - and she winked at Lara. - "Can you create a distraction?"

Lara understood the idea and laughed. She went to the edge of the room, grabbed her metal water bottle and pretended to drop it on the ground. It made a loud noise that echoed throughout the previously quiet church.

While the guests gasped and the staff ran to assess the problem, Diana swiftly flew up and pulled the small golden tip from the dome.

The young staff member looked concerned while an older gentleman began to address Lara vehemently in Portuguese:

"_A senhora não pode entrar com isso! Poderia ter danificado o piso! __Tenha cuidado, por favor!_" - he gesticulated for her to put the bottle away.

"_Desculpe_." - apologized Lara and left the room. Diana followed her.

"I got it, let's go."

* * *

Back at their hotel in Leiria, they were able to better examine the object. It was small, made of gold, round and seemed to attach to something else.

"It's gold like the necklace and this orifice might fit just right on the pendant." - observed Lara.

Diana opened her backpack and took out the necklace and the box. She handed the pendant to Lara and placed the box on the bed.

Lara turned the newly acquired gold object in her hand and plugged the pendant shaped necklace into it. With a 'click', it snapped together becoming a key and began to glow. The box on the bed began to emanate the cyan light, dyeing the whole room blue.

They looked at each other excitedly, ready for the next clue. This time, instead of blue letters appearing on top of the stone, the box illuminated a small orifice which Lara noticed was the perfect size of the new key in her hand. She inserted it and turned her wrist.

There was a loud thud and, instead of letters appearing at the top, the box projected light through the key's center onto the wall, like a hologram. The images, however, were not of letters, but of symbols.

Diana stared at the wall, amazed. Lara was assessing the glyphs:

"I don't recall ever seeing glyphs like these. They slightly resemble sumerian cuneiform writing, but are not it…"

"I've seen these before." - replied Diana, still fascinated. - "I need to make a call."

She walked to her backpack to get her cellphone, leaving Lara wondering who she was calling.

Diana dialed. She got a voicemail that said: "Hello, you've reached Kara Danvers. Please leave a message and I will return your call."

"Hi, it's Diana Prince. We need your help."

* * *

_To be continued._


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter VI - The conclusion

As Diana and Lara stared at the golden glowing glyphs floating around in the middle of the room, Diana's cellphone rang. She stepped out to the balcony to answer.

"Hi Diana, it's Kara. Sorry I missed your call. Is everything ok? I know you can handle yourself really well out there, so I'm guessing you need help with something very specific."

Diana laughed and agreed to Kara's conclusion: "Yes, this is beyond pure strength. We need your help to decipher a riddled, something I believe your cousin could also figure out, but you had more contact with this language than he did."

"Do you mean Kryptonian language? Fascinating! But you're being very cryptic, is there someone else there with you?"

"Yes, I am here with the renowned archaeologist Lara Croft. She is brilliant but this is beyond her expertise." - She lowered her voice - "Kara, she knows who I am and I'm comfortable with that, but I just wanted to give you a heads up in case you want your true identity to remain secret."

"Thank you. I'll introduce myself as Kara Danvers for now. Where should I meet you?"

"At my apartment in Paris. I have a feeling this mystery will bring us back to where it all started".

Diana hung up and went back inside. Lara looked at her suspiciously.

"So, who is the mystery person who can help us decipher all this? A linguist from Oxford? An anthropologist from Harvard?"

"No, a journalist from National City."

Lara raised an eyebrow and pretended to be satisfied with the answer.

"Let's fly back to Paris. She will meet us there."

They gathered the box and the items, checked out of the hotel and went to the private airport where Lara's jet was stationed. They left Portugal with longing hearts, grateful for having had the chance to see such exuberant and mysterious places.

* * *

The City of Lights was sparkling with the orange hues of the sunset. Lara landed the jet at the private airport outside the city and they drove to Diana's apartment near the Louvre.

Arriving at her building, Diana saw Kara waiting in the hallway. She signaled Kara to wait, but Lara stepped out of the car and saw the young blonde woman looking at them. Her golden hair was pinned up in a messy bun and she wore plain jeans, a white shirt and a ruby leather jacket. She wore dark pink lipstick and blue-black glasses that framed her beautiful face.

"Ah, you must be Kara Danvers, the journalist from National City." - said Lara extending her hand. - "I'm Lara Croft, pleased to meet you".

Kara shook Lara's hand and replied "The pleasure is all mine, I am familiar with your work as an archaeologist and can't think of anyone better to keep up with Diana's eagerness to solve mysteries" - she smiled, a pure and beautiful smile.

Lara bowed her head in appreciation and asked "How did you get here so fast from the US? I thought the speedy concorde didn't fly anymore." - she had a shadow of distrust behind her eyes.

Kara stuttered, touched her glasses looking down and replied "I-I was covering something in London, so I just took the eurotunnel."

The dark haired archaeologist looked at her with piercing eyes, gave a slight nod and dismissed the conversation, turning to Diana.

"Shall we look at the box together?"

"Of course, let's go up to my apartment."

On the top floor of the not too tall building, Diana's apartment was elegant, with white walls, marble floors, navy blue sofas and golden recessed lighting. One of the walls was covered with high silver bookshelves showcasing many rare and first edition books. The ample living room shared it's space with an open-concept kitchen. A small hall on the right lead to the bedroom, bathroom and laundry facilities. On the left, a glass door to the balcony took most of the wall providing a gorgeous look into the Parisian skyline with a perfect view of the _Jardin Des __Tuileries_.

"Make yourselves at home. I'll make some tea."

Walking inside in awe, Kara smiled as she hoped to one day have her journalism career take her to live with such elegance in a city as glamorous as Paris.

Lara on the other hand, admired the minimalistic approach. Someone as powerful as Diana - both as a museum director and as a superhero - would probably have a big mansion outside of Paris, as Lara herself had Croft Manor. Instead, Diana lived close to her work and was content with the view and her many books.

As both women set on the soft blue couch, Lara took her backpack and placed it on the glass center table. Diana brought in a beautiful ceramic kettle, three mugs and a box with an assortment of teas on a silver platter. Each of them chose their preferred flavour and drank the first sip, letting the warmth flow through their bodies before focusing on the task at hand.

Diana brought Kara up to speed on their adventures and explained that the last clue was the symbols which she believed to be Kryptonian, being careful to not mention that specifically in front of Lara.

"I wouldn't have called you if I didn't think you could understand these symbols, seeing that you, umm, studied them in the past." - she exchanged with Kara a look of complicity and took the box off the backpack.

Kara studied the box, turning it around on the table. Diana took the gold key and gave it to her friend, hopeful, showing her where to place it. Kara took the key and inserted it in the box. A familiar glow emanated from it, filling the room with cyan light. The young journalist looked around the room, amazed. Her eyes shifted to the center when golden symbols began to appear out of thin air.

Marvelled by it, Kara began translating:

"Power and trust go hand in hand. Trust and knowledge compliment each other. The knowledge is now yours, for you have shown perseverance. But the power cannot be wielded without trust, and only those who created it are allowed to unleash it."

Once she finished reading, the symbols vanished, the box's lid popped open and an object laid inside. All three women stared at each other and rushed to look inside the box. It was a light blue transparent crystal, long, carved with sharp edges and a flat top.

Lara's brown eyes reflected the glow and she reached inside to touch it. As her finger grazed its surface, Lara felt an electric shock go up her arm and stepped away, astonished.

"Are you alright?" - asked Diana concerned.

"I-I'm fine, it was like touching an open circuit, but low voltage."

Diana reached in and also felt a little shock, though very faint. She looked at Kara, who understood what had to happen. As the last daughter of Krypton reached in and grabbed the crystal with her bare hand, she felt no shock. The box ceased to glow, but the crystal pulsated with blue light.

Lara looked surprised for a moment, then quoted: "'_Only those who created it are allowed to unleash it'_. I don't think you created this yourself, Ms. Danvers, but perhaps your people did? I knew those symbols looked familiar, but I didn't think they would be _alien_."

The Kryptonian looked at Diana with eyes wide open. Diana nodded and declared "Lara cannot be fooled as easily as most. I have placed my trust in her."

With Diana's reassurance, Kara looked at the cunning archaeologist and confirmed: "I am an alien indeed. My real name is Kara Zor-El. You might know me as Supergirl."

Lara smiled and extended her hand. "It's an honor to meet you, Kara Zor-El. I had a feeling you were as 'ordinary' as Diana".

The three looked at each other and started to laugh.

"Well, what next?" - Asked Diana.

"This is not a mere crystal shard. It's kind of like a Kryptonian flash drive. I know where we can read the information that is inside. Diana, you are welcome to come, but I don't think Lara can get there easily."

With a slight hint of disappointment, Lara acknowledged her "humanness" and made herself useful in other ways. "That's quite all right. I will stay here and study the box some more. Please let me know once you figure out the next step."

Diana nodded and both her and Kara changed into Wonder Woman and Supergirl, taking off from the balcony in the flash of an eye.

"Where are we heading?" - asked Diana in mid flight.

"To the Fortress of Solitude".

* * *

After flying through the cold skies from Paris to the icy north where the Fortress was built, they landed and continued the journey on foot until they finally spotted the magnificent ice structure springing from the ground. Huge columns of deep blue ice climbed towards the sky in a random manner that gave the place a natural view instead of a stiff organized skyscraper, looking as if it was born, not built.

Diana was fascinated by it. It was unlikely anything she had ever seen in either the human world or her Amazon island. Still looking up in awe, she asked: "It's unbelievable. How come no satellite has ever spotted this place?"

"My cousin made sure to keep it hidden under a mist that reflects anything that looks at it from above. You can't see it from afar either, that's why we have to land at a specific spot."

Diana thought of the mist that surrounds Themyscira and wondered what other places in the world are hidden from view.

Arriving at the entrance, Kara stepped in first, signaling Diana to wait. Kelex, the droid-like protector of the Fortress approached her, saying in a robotic voice "Welcome Kara Zor-El, daughter of Krypton. I picked up a non-kryptonian behind you. Is it to be trusted?"

"Hi Kelex, yes, this is Diana of Themyscira. She is allowed in at anytime." - she smiled at Diana, who nodded with gratitude.

Kelex stepped aside and the two heroes walked into the glittering building. Diana still marvelled at its beauty. "Kal-El has certainly done a good job with this place."

Kara smiled sweetly and announced: "There it is, the Fortress' very own super computer, if it can be called that."

A crystal keyboard table was at the center, with a series of holes that seemed to fit crystal shards like the one they discovered inside the box. Kara approached it with the shard in hand and the hole started glowing. She took the shard to it and it was pulled in like a magnet. An image started forming and the silhouette of a man appeared before their eyes.

Diana looked at it amazed and Kara stepped back to look at it beside her. A deep male voice started to speak a recorded message.

"Welcome perseverant seekers. You have reached the end of your quest. But the power cannot yet be yours, as you must first understand what you have before you. Our planet is dying. There are no urgent signs of it yet, but it only has a few centuries left. We have tried to warn out government to take immediate action before it's too late, but they did not give it much thought, since nothing is eminent. So we came to Earth on a mission of discovery, to understand more about its people and environment and see if we could one day immigrate here, if Krypton was ever in grave danger. We have joined forces with the knights you call Templar and build a cathedral to harness the power we might one day require to save our planet and maybe even yours. This power would remain hidden away until a child of Krypton can release it without any danger to Earth. You have now reached the last defence between Kryptonian technology and your planet. Only a Kryptonian can retrieve it. Step forward, seeker, and place your hand on the mantle."

Kara looked at Diana and stepped forward, placing her hand on the console. The computer announced "Kryptonian DNA detected: Kara Zor-El" and the silhouette continued:

"Welcome Kara, daughter of Krypton. If you are receiving this power so many centuries after it was created, it means our planet is gone, but Earth still stands. Take this staff and bring it back to the cathedral the stone box was buried under. You will know what to do then. And fear not, child, this power shall bring great hope and resources to your new home world."

The silhouette pulsed with a strong glow and vanished, leaving a blue crystal staff in its place. Kara reached out to take it. It was heavy, sturdy and had a curious cut at the bottom, as it would fit somewhere.

"So, back to Paris?" - asked the Kara.

"Yes. This must fit somewhere in Notre Dame. I'll call Lara as soon as we are in a cellphone zone so she can prepare for our return."

Both heroes exited the Fortress and darted into the cold sky, making their way through the clouds back to where it all started.

* * *

Notre Dame was still a sad sight to contemplate. The formidable spiral was gone, the stones were black with the ugly soot of the fire from days ago, but something about the cathedral still remained magnificent, as a statement that nothing could ever truly harm it.

Wonder Woman and Supergirl landed out of sight and changed back to their human selves, making sure to avoid drawing attention. A great archaeologist as she was, Lara had already arranged everything at the cathedral so that they could explore the inside on their own.

"How did you manage to get all the recovery teams out?" - inquired Diana.

"I presented myself as a private archaeologist hired by the French government to examine the remains. They were very reluctant to leave, but I managed. However, it is unlikely that they will stay out for long after they realize the government gave me no actual permit." - and she winked at Diana, who chuckled but responded with a raised eyebrow.

"We must go inside, the staff is restless" - announced Kara, who carried the crystal staff in a black case and could feel it vibrating.

The three women walked inside and Kara briefed Lara on what they found at the Fortress. Diana sighed as she saw the architectural marvel broken physically and spiritually, as if it were alive. Its once colorful glass windows were stained by black fumes, the checkered floor now pitch black and there was a hole in the ceiling where the spiral used to be.

Kara removed the crystal staff from the case and showed it to Lara, who admired it as a scholar admires an ancient parchment saying: "Fascinating".

"Let's focus." - commanded Diana. - "There must be something here that has a hole in which this staff fits into. Let's look for it quickly.

Her and Kara used their super speed to investigate every inch of the building with no luck. They started talking frantically with each other, while Lara stepped away and paced the floor. She analyzed all of their steps until then, considering the clues and the warnings from the guardians of the secret. "Whoever hid this in the cathedral knew that no human could reach it, only a Kryptonian…". She looked up. The rose window shone slightly from under the soot. A single ray of light pierced the black and pointed to the dome, or what remained of it. Lara understood it.

"Ladies. Ladies!" - Diana and Kara stopped talking and look anxiously at Lara. "Look." - And she pointed to the ceiling where the light ray touched it.

Kara looked at Diana and they both shook their heads for not realizing it. Kara changed into Supergirl, took the staff and flew up to the dome, finding the hole with the perfect fit for the staff's bottom tip. As she inserted it, the staff shone brighter and the familiar cyan hue dyed the walls. Nothing else happened. The Kryptonian then turned the staff like a key until it clicked.

The cathedral shook for a moment and the women heard concerned voices from outside. As Diana looked behind her, she saw the same men that engaged them at the library back in Beijing. They took no action, only witnessed the event.

One of the stones from the dome unattached itself from the ceiling and fell onto Supergirl's hands. A large glowing blue orb was inside it, pulsing as if in stand-by. Supergirl flew back down carefully and showed the orb to Diana and Lara, placing the stone on the floor. As it touched the ground, Lara's backpack started glowing and she ran to remove the dark stone box from it. The box popped open and golden Kryptonian symbols emerged from it once again. Supergirl translated:

"You have proven yourselves perseverant and worthy. Us from Krypton and us the Knights Templar bestow upon you a mighty gift. May it light your way to a new era of energy and may it soothe any aches your planet has had from other energy sources so that Earth never follows the inevitable fate of Krypton."

Lara's eyes were glowing with excitement: "It's a power source, a new form of energy!"

Diana smiled. Their quest was worth it. Humankind could greatly benefit from such a source. She looked at Supergirl: "Is it safe?"

Supergirl had tears in her eyes. "Yes. This is the same type of power source my mother and the scientists of Krypton present to the council a few years before our planet started to crumble. If the Kryptonian government had listened then, Krypton could have survived."

Someone banged strongly at the front doors. A voice in a speaker commanded in French: "Lady Croft, your permit has not been validated. You must leave the premisses at once!"

Diana gestured to the others to remain quiet. Still inside the building, she transformed into Wonder Woman, approached the closed front doors, opening them wide, showing herself hovering above ground.

At the sight of Wonder Woman, the men backed off slightly. The hero floated higher so that all who stood in front of the cathedral could see her. She spoke in a strong voice:

"People of Paris, a discovery has been made here today. A powerful energy source was found hidden in the rumbles of our beloved Notre Dame. This source is a promise of a brighter future, one in which Earth can overcome its difficulties in generating clean energy and all nations will benefit from it."

The people stood there, staring at her. A man with a press badge stepped forward and asked cunningly: "That's great, but why are _you_ claiming it? It was found in Notre Dame of Paris, therefore, it belongs to France!" - cheers followed his words.

"Actually, it does not" - proclaimed Supergirl, appearing next to Wonder Woman. "This is Kryptonian technology, so it technically belongs to myself and my cousin, as the only Kryptonians on Earth." - the crowd looked anxious. She continued: "And as our property, I delegate its investigation to Lara Croft, a renowned archaeologist who can study it and assist in discovering the best ways to share this power with _all_ of humankind!"

Wonder Woman went back to the cathedral as Lara came outside, the blue glow shining from behind her, making her look luminous and powerful. - "I vow to assemble a team to study this priceless discovery and putting it to good use for the well being of the whole planet."

A black car with sirens rushed to the gathering and a French government representative stepped out, turning all heads. He walked towards Supergirl and Lara, looking at the archaeologist top to bottom with disdain.

"My dear, I believe there are others better qualified to take on this task. We'll take it from here."

Diana Prince seemed to suddenly show up at the scene outside and walked towards the representative, extending her hand.

"_Monsieur_ Desjardins, lovely to see you again."

His eyes widened as he took Diana's hand and shook it trembling. He never understood how that woman had such bearing that made him feel so uneasy. They had met several times before as Diana attended many events as the French Ambassador at the United Nations.

"Ambassador Prince, what an honour. I was just telling Miss Croft that we can take it from here."

"Lady Croft and I have already arranged everything for her and her team to study the artifact. They will be based at the Louvre, under my supervision. I will be taking care of the orb's fate myself as a Louvre Director. Thank you, Representative. Have a good day."

Diana walked back inside with Lara, while Supergirl hovered behind them facing the crowd. As she walked back inside the cathedral, she shut the doors.

The men who first protected the secret walked towards Diana. Their leader spoke.

"You were just as brave today as when we first met in Beijing. I am glad the artifact will remain under your care." - he waved his men to come closer and continued: "We have guarded the secret of the alien power source for centuries and have studied all the signs that carried it throughout all this time. We would gladly assist you in its study, if you'll have us" He bowed his head slightly to the three heroes.

The women looked at each other and agreed. "We would be honored to work with such devoted men. Lara can make preparations for a study team while I create a facility for you at the Louvre. Please meet me there tomorrow at 10am so we can discuss further details." - They shook hands and the men left the cathedral.

"You know this will not be enough to get people to back off on trying to take this power to themselves." - alerted Supergirl.

"I know, that is why I'm counting on some good press to help us in this fight." - replied Diana, winking at Kara. - "Now, there is a lot to do, but I feel our partnership grows strongly with every adventure we have and I look forward to continuing to work beside you both." - she smiled and hugged them.

The three looked at each other with the feeling of mission accomplished and turned to the glowing artifact beside them, seeing in it a promise of a better future for the whole planet and all those who live here, as this cleaner form of energy could help battle the threats that currently damage the environment. The alliance of heroes had proven once again to bring what humankind lacked the most: hope.

The end.


End file.
